Alloy and process of making the same



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To all whom it may concern:

Be it lrnovvn thet l, dinners ld. hlon'ron, e citieen ot' the United liitetes, end e resident o'l 'Clevelend, county 0t Cuyehoge, @tete oi tlhio, heve invented certein new end u-sel'ul lmprovcments in Alloys end Processes of lllelring the heme, oi which the following is e specificetion.

This invention reletes to metellic elloys end to processes oil melting the sense. it is concerned perticulerly with eluminum elloys conteining motels heving reletively high melting points as compered with eluminum, end with e new end improved process by which they mey he mennlectured.

Une object ol the invention is to provide as new and improved elloy conteining elumr num, copper end metels heving higher melting points then eluminum end heing suhstentielly tree 'lrom deleterious impurities.

Another object is to provide en eluminum elloy oonteining copper end other high melting point motels end heingsuhstentielly lree lrom eluminum oxide Another ohject oil the invention is to provide e nevv end improved process oil elloying eluminnm vvith higher melting point motels.

Another, ohject is to provide e new end improved process oil producing en eluminum elloy conteining copper end iron, eech in emounts exceeding thet ordinerily "found in commerciel eluminum,

llnother ohject is to provide e process ol producing elloys oil the close descrihed vvhieh mey he precticed Without erduous menuel lehor end Without recourse to high temperetures or violent chemicel or metellurgicel reections,

Uther ohjects Will he pointed out in the :lollovving specilicetion,

ll/ly invention resides essentielly in e new sequence ol melting end elloying steps end in the new end unexpected edventeges resulting therellrom, lleretolore, in melting eluminum elloys conteining motels heving reletively high melting points es compered With elinum, such es copper end iron, niclrel, cohelt, mengenese, chromium, or molyhdenum, numerous diculties end disedventeges heve heen encountered. lln elloying, eluminum, copper end eny one ct these verious high melting point motels it hes heen considered neceesery, either to hold ti lhWl" nun rnoonse or Illlit llmll lhl lllllhl hdtllllh.

hpplieetion tiled lllfey til, ltlftl. heriel lilo. d'ltttttt.

the molten metel et e high tempereture tor e considerehle period of time or to ceuse e thermit reection in the molten copper or hoth in order to melt, dissolve or otherwise bring the high melting point motel into solution.

Holding eluminum or its elloys et high temperature for e considerehle period of time hes long heen known to he hermihil to the motel or elloy end is to he evoided whenever possihle 'll'he thermit reection requires thet either, or hoth, ol the high melting point metels he oxidised somevvhet het'ore the eluminum is edded heceuse it is the union oi the eluminum With oxygen which hrings ehout the intense heet end the solution olthe solid motel in the liquid metels. Since certein oxides oi copper ere soluhle in molten copper end else heceuse ol the hrislr stirring eccompenying the process the eluminum oxide termed hy the reection is distrihuted thruout the heth end only pert oil it rises to the top ilrom Which it cen he removed. lllntrepped oxides ere lrnovvn to he hermiul end it is helieved thet they term e lre uent ce-use oil porosity in eluminum e-lloy cestings.

l 'urthermore, due to the high tempereture end the presence of the verious oxides, sleg end other loreign meteriels in the heth, e tendency exists to the loetion cl smell extremely herd perticles vvhich cennot he completely sepereted from the elloy end which ere very destructive to sherp edged cutting tools employed in ,mechining or finishing cestings mede l'rom the elloy. it. single perticle will often demege e set oil cutting tools to the extent of necessiteting e repleoement of the tools hy sherp ones.

The melting oil en elloy conteining eluminum end copper in neerly equel emounts end up to ehout 10% oi iron will serve es illustretive of this generel thermit process.

The copper end eluminum ere first melted seperetely, the copper heing melted in en open pot or iurnece Without eny protection egeinst oxidetion. en the copper hes heen melted end reised to the proper tempereture, iron, prel'erehly in the term ol enneeled Wire is edded thereto, no edort heing mede to suhmerge the iron therein since some oxidetion oil the iron epperently pro motes the suhsequent thermit reection. Molten eluminum is then poured into the lltl till

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lltlll llld thermit reaction in part rises to the surface copper while the latter is briskly stirred,

whereupon a violent thermit reaction takcs place, part of the aluminum being oxidized by the copper and ironoxides and the remainder alloying with the copper and lIOH. This reaction raises the temperature of the bath considerably and effectually dissolves the iron and alloys it with the aluminum and co per.

he oxidized aluminum formed during the of the bath from which it isremoved by skimming but considerable quantities remain entangled in the alloy and are carried into the castings. Any small hard particles which are formed in the alloying process and which cannot be completely separated from the metal will appear in the castings.

The process is unduly costly first, because the oxidized aluminum represents a considerable loss of metal and second, because the form of iron best suited to it is annealed wire which is more expensive than other forms, for example, scrap tin plate, turnings, etc. Moreover, the resulting alloy is practically certain to contain aluminum oxide and may contain the hardsubstances previously referred to and an alloy made by adding aluminum to relatively small amounts of an alloy containing such impurities will contain corresponding amounts of the impurities. In general it may be said that whenever these harmful impurities are formed in an alloy, they accompany it into whatever combination ofmetals or kind of article the alloy may enter.

I have discovered, however, that such metals as copper and iron, nickel, cobalt,

.'manganese, chromium or molybdenum can be alloyed with aluminum by a simple process not involving arduous manual labor and without the aid of athermit reaction and the high temperatures and violent chemical or metallurgical reactions incident thereto.

The cheaper forms of iron of suitable compositions may be used. Such forms include scrap tin plate, clean, high grade, subs'tantially pure iron or mild steel turnings, and in general any "readily obtainable form of suitable composition having a relatively large surface area as compared with its volume.

The solution of the iron'in the copper and aluminum is brought about in a manner to prevent a violent therm it reaction. Probably not more than inappreciable amounts of aluminum oxide are formed in the alloying step of the process. Consequently, castings made from such alloys are substantially free both from porosity due to entrapped aluminum oxide and from hard particles. Furthermore, the aluminum lost thru oxidation is reduced to the small amount which unavoidably forms during the melting of the metal. The cost of the process is thus correspondingly decreased and at the same time a more nearly uniform product is obtained due to the small unvarying amount of aluminum oxidized by the process.

My improved process, as applicable to the previously enumerated metals is typified by the following detailed description of its use in conection with an aluminum, copper, iron alloy.

In the manufacture of an alloy containing aluminum 50%, copper 40% or more and iron up to about 10%, I first melt the calculated amount of aluminum and maintain it at a temperature slightly above the melting point, preferably not above 1400 F. Simultaneous therewith the calculated amount of co per is melted and raised to a temperature s ightly above the melting point but preferably not above 2200 F. \Vhen both metals have been brought to the desired temperature, the calculated amount of iron is introduced into and submerged in the molten aluminum. The copper is then poured into the aluminum while the latter is gently stirred or agitated. The iron goes into solution quickly and easily without much increase in temperature and without the violent reactions common to the thermit reaction, and, as soon as all the copper has been added, the finished, homogenous alloy is ready for casting, further alloying or treating as may be desired.

, For purposes of illustrating my process and the resulting alloys I have particularly specified aluminum, copper and iron each in certain amounts which have been found suitable. It is obvious, however, that the amounts may vary greatly without afi'ectin the steps of the process and, accordingly, T do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the specified percentages of these constituent metals. Nor do I wish to be limited to these three metals since so far as adaptability of my process is concerned many-other metals may be the equivalent of iron. Among such equivalents may be included nickel, cobalt, manganese, chromium and molybdenum, all of which are to be considered as within the limits'of my invention. Altho my experiments have not been exhaustive they prove that such metals may replace iron in my improved process, the

amounts of the metals which actually enter the alloy, however, being dependent on a number of factors such as solubilities, melting temperatures, etc., as will be understood by those skilled in the art.

The scope of my invention is defined by what is claimed.

What is claimed:

1. The process of making an alloy containing aluminum and metals havin relatively high melting points as compar with raaaaaa aluminum, Which comprises melting the aluminum, adding a high melting point metal in solid lorm to the molten aluminum and then adding a high melting point metal in molten form to the molten aluminum.

2. The process of malring an alloy containing aluminum, copper and a metal having a melting point higher than that of aluminum, Which comprises adding the last mentioned metals in solid form to the molten aluminum and introducing the copper in molten form into the aluminum.

3. The process of making" an alloy con taining aluminum, copper and iron Which comprises adding molten copper to a bath out molten aluminum containing unmelted iron, and stirring the molten bath until the iron has alloyed With the copper and aluminum.

l. The process of making an alloy containing aluminum, copper and iron which comprises melting the aluminum and copper separately, adding iron in sheet form to the molten aluminum and then adding the molten copper to the molten aluminum.

5. The process of making an alloy containing aluminum, copper and iron, the aluminum and copper being present in preponderating amounts which comprises melting the aluminum and bringing it to a temperature slightly above its melting point, melting the copper and bringing it to a temperature slightly above its melting point, adding iron in sheet form to the molten-aluminum, and then pouring the molten copper into the molten aluminum whereby the iron becomes alloyed With the copper and aluminum.

6. The process of making an alloy contit taining aluminum, copper and iron Which comprises melting the aluminum and maintaining it at a temperature oi about 1l00 hi, adding iron thereto in solid form, melting the copper and maintaining it at a temperature of about 2200" F. and then causing solution of the iron, at temperature below 2000 F. by introducing the molten copper into the aluminum With stirring.

7. The process of making an alloy containin aluminum, copper and iron which comprises melting the aluminum and copper separately, then adding the iron in solid form to the aluminum and then alloying the iron with the aluminum and copper by adding the latter to the aluminum bath in a manner to prevent substantial oxidation of the aluminum.

8. The process of making an alloy containing aluminum, copper and iron Which comprises melting the aluminum and copper separately, adding iron in solid form to the aluminum, and then bringing about the solution of the iron and the alloying thereof with the aluminum and copper by addition of the latter in a manner to prevent the formation cl hard particles in the finished allo 9. A metallic alloy comprising aluminum, copper and a metal having a high melting point as compared with aluminum, characterized by being substantially free from aluminum oxide.

10. A metallic alloy containing aluminum, copper and iron characterized by being substantially tree from aluminum oxide.

in testimony Whereot' aflix my signature.

ALLEN B. NUllT O l l.

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